The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mines, Mr. George Mireku Duker has urged all Ghanaians especially the youth to develop the habit of planting trees and nurturing to maturity as part of efforts to restore the nation’s lost forest cover.
At a brief ceremony on Friday, June 10 2022, Mr. Duker led the military, and some corporate bodies to plant at the Northern Command in Tamale.
He asserted that out of the overall national target of planting 20 million tree seedlings, the Northern Region was tasked to plant one million (1,000,000) trees noting that the Northern Region was able to plant 246,626 of the 250,000 trees on 2021 Green Ghana Day,
“For last year’s edition which was the maiden edition, on 11th June 2021, I personally joined the Ya Naa at Yendi to plant a tree. I am therefore very happy to note that the Northern Region was able to plant 246,626 of the 250,000 trees” he said.
Addressing the media, the Hon. Minister highlighted on some benefits of forest resources in the lives of mankind stating that more than 85 percent of Ghanaian population depend on the forest resources for subsistence and to satisfy their social-cultural needs.
However, he added that, “in spite of the numerous benefits derived from the forest, the exploitation of these resources for national development have not been sustainable over the years.”
Mr. Duker used his platform to call on all well meaning Ghanaians to help preserve the forest heritage from bush fires as well as reducing the effects of climate change.
“Forests operate as the lungs of the earth, sequestering and storing carbon dioxide, and a crucial greenhouse gas in the fight against climate change”.
On his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Shani Alhassan Shaibu urged all to endeavor to nurture every planted tree seedling for growth towards the realization of government’s aggressive afforestation program.
Mr. Duker, as part of his visit to the Northern Region, joined the Management and Staff of the Tamale Teaching Hospital to plant 1,100 tree seedlings and promised to come back to check on the tree seedlings planted.
With him on this year’s tree planting exercise was Mr. Mahmoud Hamid Nassir-Deen, Board Chairman of the Tamale Teaching Hospital who is also a board member of the Tamale Forestry Commission and Brigadier General Aryee, Commander of the Northern Command.
